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The Curse of Ratanapura
Story Synopsis “''The Curse of Ratanapura will haunt your dreams...." Teddy Carrington was a jeweller, a scoundrel, a cheat and a swindler, just like his Father before him. He lived for money, but not as much as he lived for the love of humiliating his business rival, Sir Bobby Jameson. When Teddy wasn’t playing poker in the Kings Head Inn with the family fortune, he was learning how to cheat at it so he could defeat Bobby. New Year’s Eve, 1799. Teddy and Bobby played their final game. It was a game that raged on for longer, and with more bluffs, tricks and twists than ever before. The inn closed, but the game went on, with all the patrons and players cheering for either one man or the other to win. Teddy had been dealt a bad hand, but it didn’t matter. His poker face could convince you his hide was on fire and you wouldn’t doubt him! Slowly, he drew Bobby Jameson’s entire fortune onto the table until Jameson played an Ace. Both metaphorically and on a card. He placed on the table a diamond as big as a fist. It sparkled so brightly that the entire inn fell silent for one devastating moment. And in that moment, Teddy knew that he had lost. He pulled out a gun from nowhere shot his opponent in the chest, snatching the gemstone from the dying man’s hands. It is said that with his last breath, Jameson cursed Carrington and his family to a hundred years of misery and torment. New Year’s Eve, 1899. The legend says the spirit of Sir Bobby Jameson shall return tonight at the stroke of midnight to relinquish the curse. Lady Rosalind Carrington, the current owner of the Ratanapura gemstone, has invited her closest friends, family and three time travellers to bear witness and celebrate the turn of the century. But not everyone will live to see it... Plot ''to be added Continuity * The pre-titles sequence of this story resolves the cliffhanger from The Paradise Machine which saw the Doctor, Nick and Rob face the threat of a squad of Daleks which had invaded the TARDIS. It transpires that Nick had concocted the whole thing as a joke which back-fired quite spectacularly as the Doctor used his Time Ring to transport the three of them to the planet Mogador. In this unseen adventure, the trio of time travellers became embroiled in a bi-centurial ten year war between the Mogadorians and the Klith which would determine who was the rightful owner of the Holy Shield Of Gropp. The time travellers were captured as prisoners of war and imprisoned in the Mud Mines of Mogador for the entire duration of the conflict. The Doctor eventually managed to recall the TARDIS and the three prisoners made a narrow escape after an exciting chase through one of Mogador's muddy battlefields. * The Klith are an highly advanced alien race described by Rob McCow as having "fangs, fins and prisons smellier than the TARDIS laundry basket after we accidentally created that artificial life form from Nick’s old socks!". * The Doctor recieves a message on his Space-Time Telegraph, a device which appeared in the Second Doctor story The Mind Robber. * The TARDIS arrives on the Isle of Skye on December 31st 1899. The Doctor mentions it has been "at least three years" since the crew have celebrated a New Year. * This is the first adventure to be set in Earth's past since the season one story Magical History Tour. * Nick wears the Doctor's Holmesian Victorian outfit, first seen in the Fourth Doctor story The Talons of Weng-Chiang. * Marwood's first name is Thomas, although it is never mentioned in the finished story. * This story contains a brief flashback to an unheard adventure where the Planet Skaro Doctor and Rosalind introduce an unidentified race of aliens (played by Alex Finch) to tea, having saved them from the terrible Zodin. (more soon) Production Cast *The Doctor - Paul Monk *Nick - David Tudor *Rob McCow - Steven Alexander *Lady Rosalind Carringon - Ali Bongo *Barrington Carrington - Ashley Culley *Sir James Padbury - Dave Taylor *Michaels - Tim Hawtin *Lord Rusty Cheshire / Aliens - Alex Finch *Sir Bobby Jameson - Michael Talks *Thomas Marwood / Ghost - Pip Madeley Crew *Written by Pip Madeley and Si Hunt *Produced by Pip Madeley *Directed by Pip Madeley with Simon Hart and Steve Alexander *CD artwork designed by Pip Productions Production Notes * Pip Madeley came up with the title and original plot for the story, as well as writing Episode 2. Si Hunt performed some work on the plot as well as writing Episode 1. He also devised the additional characters of Thomas Marwood and (contrary to common belief) Sir James Padbury. * The character of Barrington Carrington was originally female and called Lady Delia Carrington. * The story's recording was reasonably crisis-hit, as the crew ran out of time after recording three other stories and the leading lady was unable to attend the main cast recording (Ali Bongo recorded her lines a few weeks later). It was subsequently decided to limit future recording sessions to just two stories. * The lines of the Ghost (the so-called Spirit of Sir Bobby Jameson) were originally recorded by Paul Monk; thereby suggesting the later plot revelation that the Doctor was behind the appirations. However, it was felt he was too recognisable and that this would give the resolution away, so the lines were re-recorded by Madeley in post-production. A full recording of Paul's version of the Ghost still exists. * Sir Bobby Jameson is played by Michael Talks, although Ant Williams also recorded the lines during the second studio recording. In post-production it was decided to use Talks' performance as Williams, although excellent, sounded too young for the character. A full recording of Ant's unused performance still exists. * Production on each episode was finished just minutes before they went on-line - episode 2 was originally scheduled for release on 25th October and eventually made it on-line on the 29th. * This story won "Best Cover Artwork for Season 2" in a poll by the members of Planet Skaro in March 2009. Links Available for download here Category:Audio Productions